At the beginning of this year, I lost my rave partner. My boyfriend (and rave babe) was deployed to the middle east for a whole year and would be missing out on the entirety of festival season. In an attempt to bond with me during this difficult time, my mother reached out to me. She knows how passionate I am about the EDM community and how much I love going to shows and festivals. “Why don’t you take me to one of those rave thingies?” She asked.

The idea of raving with a parent had never really occurred to me before. Would she be a headbanger? Or a member of the trance fam? Either way, I was intrigued. I needed to see my mom in that setting.

After browsing the upcoming shows in my area, I decided Lane 8 would be the best option for us. If you’ve never heard of Lane 8, he is a deep house artist and one of my favorite DJ’s at the moment. His show would provide all of the good vibes I was looking for, and wouldn’t scare my mom off. I quickly purchased two tickets for us and let my mom know she would be going to her first “rave thingy”.

Leading up to the show, I was nervous. I had no idea what to expect going in. Thankfully, the ladies at iHeartRaves had us covered. They were kind enough to send my mom and me matching rave tops, fuzzy cat ears, and face jewels for the perfect rave outfits. Not only would my mom be going to her first EDM event, but she would be going in style!

The night of the show I headed on over to my mom’s house. Seeing her decked out for the first time was surreal to me! She was especially fascinated by the face jewels and kept asking me if she could wear them every day (don’t we all wish mom). After having some champagne, I sat my mom down for a quick pre-show interview.

What is your name, age, and where are you from?

Mom: My name is Tracey Williams, a southern woman never reveals her age, and I am from Collierville, Tennessee (a small town right outside of Memphis).

So you’re from the south, did this have any influence on your music taste growing up?

Mom: For sure. My whole life I’ve only really listened to country music. Pop is OK, but Country is definitely my favorite.

Are you able to tell me what EDM stands for?

Mom: Don’t laugh at me, but I think its Electronic Disco Music?

What do you know about current EDM culture?

Mom: I don’t know much, just that my daughter loves it. My boyfriend has told me a few stories from when he was once apart of the rave culture.

Can you name any EDM DJ’s?

Mom: Tonight we’re going to see Lane 8, but other than that no.

How do you expect tonight to go?

Mom: I expect to enjoy the music, the lights, have some drinks, and have a good time.

I could see the excitement in my mom’s eyes. She was always down to try something new, and spending time with her daughter is something she’s always been passionate about. After one more glass of champagne, we piled into my mom’s boyfriend’s car (who decided to join us after getting a case of FOMO) and headed to the event.

We got through security right when Lane 8 began his set. His music has such a euphoric vibe and I knew we were in for a good night. Every time the beat would drop, I’d look back at my mom to see her grinning from ear to ear. We danced together throughout the set, and I could immediately feel a new bond forming between us. It’s refreshing for a parent to take a genuine interest in something I love so much.

After the show ended, we all headed to McDonald’s to get some post-show nutrients. In the drive thru line, I asked my mom what she thought of the show.

“Most concerts that I’ve been too aren’t like this one. There are rushes of euphoria from the buildup.”  

“Would you go to a festival?” I asked

“I loved the show, I don’t know if I’d camp for it, but I’d definitely go again.”

This experience I shared with my mom is something I would never trade. It gave her a new understanding of EDM culture and why her “raver” daughter was so fascinated by it. We plan to go to more events together in the future.

If you ever have the opportunity to take your parents to a show or festival, I’d highly recommend it. Even if they don’t end up liking the music, it’s a fun bonding experience for everyone involved.

Thank you so much to iHeartRaves for sending us our lovely outfits, the experience wouldn’t have been the same without them!